Erie County Clerk Urges Teen Drivers to Join the “It Can Wait” Campaign

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Monday, September 17, 2012

All motorists need to take the pledge to never text and drive

Erie County, NY- Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs is asking all motorists, especially young drivers to keep both hands on the wheel and to take part in AT&T’s “It Can Wait” movement on September 19th. “As County Clerk, I am responsible for the administration of local auto bureaus which issue all drivers’ licenses. I encourage all drivers to take the Safe Driving/No-Texting Pledge and then share it with their friends and family.”

This pledge, which can be found at any of the Erie County Auto Bureaus or by clicking here is then signed by the parent and their teen driver, and states that while driving the teen will not send or receive text messages or use handheld electronic devices. It ensures that the teen understands that if he/she violates any of the rules, it may result in the loss of driving privileges which you reserve the right to deny.

In a recent study by the National Safety Council, more than 100,000 crashes a year involve drivers who are texting, causing life-changing injury and death; and according to Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Research, texting drivers are 23 times more likely to be in an accident.

County Clerk Jacobs is also encouraging all parents to sign and adhere to their own pledge. “A more disturbing fact, based on a survey conducted by AT&T Wireless, is that 77% of teens have seen their parents text and drive,” says Jacobs. “We need to continually educate the public that texting and driving is not only dangerous and has costly consequences, but it is against the law”.

For additional information on the Erie County Clerk’s “Safe Driving/No-Texting Pledge”, please contact his office at 716/858-7766 or by e-mail at ErieCountyClerkOffice@erie.gov.